Joe Guyon facts for kids
Guyon at Georgia Tech c. 1918
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| No. 27, 11, 10, 26 | |||||||
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| Position: | Tackle, halfback | ||||||
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| Born: | November 26, 1892 White Earth, Minnesota, U.S. |
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| Died: | November 27, 1971 (aged 79) Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 190 lb (86 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| College: | Carlisle, Georgia Tech | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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Pro Football Hall of Fame
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College Football Hall of Fame
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Joseph Napoleon "Big Chief" Guyon was an American Indian from the Ojibwa tribe. His Ojibwe name, O-Gee-Chidah, means "Big Brave." Born on November 26, 1892, he became a famous American football and baseball player and coach.
Joe Guyon played college football at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School from 1912 to 1913. He later played for Georgia Tech from 1917 to 1918. After college, he played for many professional football teams from 1919 to 1927.
His amazing skills earned him a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1966. He was also inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1971.
Contents
Early Life
Joe Guyon was born on the White Earth Indian Reservation in White Earth, Minnesota. He received only a sixth-grade education. He also spent some time in Magdalena, New Mexico.
Football Career
College Football
Carlisle Indians
Guyon played college football at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School. He played there from 1912 to 1913. His coach was the famous Pop Warner.
The 1912 team had a great record of 12 wins, 1 loss, and 1 tie. They scored 454 points! This was also Jim Thorpe's best season. Guyon played as a left tackle on this team. In a game against Army, a player was ejected for being too rough with Guyon.
In 1913, the team went 10–1–1. Guyon moved to halfback, taking Thorpe's spot. He was named a second-team All-American.
Keewatin Academy
From 1914 to 1915, Guyon went to the Keewatin Academy. This was in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. He went there to become eligible to play college sports again.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Guyon then played football at Georgia Tech. He was there from 1917 to 1918. His coach was John Heisman. Guyon mostly played as a halfback. His brother, Charles "Wahoo" Guyon, was an assistant coach.
Joe Guyon was chosen for an Associated Press All-Time football team for the Southeast area. This team covered the years 1869-1919. A teammate, Judy Harlan, once said that Guyon would sometimes let out "blood curdling war whoops" during night practices.
1917 Season
The 1917 Georgia Tech team was undefeated with a 9–0 record. They scored an amazing 491 points! This team was named national champion. Many people thought it was "the greatest the South ever produced." Guyon played right halfback. He was the team's strong runner and best passer. He was chosen for the All-Southern team. Some even thought he was the best back in the South. His very first run for Tech was a 75-yard touchdown against Wake Forest.
In a game where they beat Washington & Lee 63–0, Guyon knocked a player out of the game. He did this while wearing a special shoulder pad with steel in it. Against Vanderbilt University, he had one of his best games. He ran 12 times for 344 yards in an 83–0 win. Sportswriter Morgan Blake called Guyon "the superman" that day.
Against Tulane, all four players in the backfield ran for over 100 yards. The Times-Picayune newspaper wrote that Tech's backfield had "no superiors and few equals in football history." Guyon threw for two touchdowns and ran for one. He passed for 91 yards and ran for 112 yards. His passing was so good it showed new possibilities for Tech's offense. In a big 68–7 win over Auburn, Guyon chased down their star player, Moon Ducote, and tackled him.
1918 Season
The 1918 team had a 6–1 record and scored 462 points. Guyon mostly played as a fullback that year. Sometimes he even played as a tackle. He was named to Frank G. Menke's first All-America team as a tackle.
Professional Football
In 1919, Guyon started playing professional football for the Canton Bulldogs. The NFL was created in 1920. After that, he played seven more seasons with several teams. These included the Washington Senators, Cleveland Indians, and Oorang Indians. He also played for the Rock Island Independents, Kansas City Cowboys, and the New York Giants.
From 1919 to 1924, Guyon played alongside another great Indian halfback, Jim Thorpe. They separated late in the 1924 season. Guyon went to the Kansas City Cowboys, and Thorpe went to the Giants.
In 1927, Guyon joined the New York Giants. He helped lead the team to win the 1927 NFL Championship.
Coaching Football
Guyon coached the Bulldogs at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee in 1919. He returned to Union in 1923 and coached all sports until 1927. Union University added Guyon to its sports hall of fame in 2008.
Guyon also coached the backfield for the 1920 Georgia Tech team. He coached high school football at St. Xavier High School in Louisville, Kentucky. He coached there from 1931 to 1933, with a record of 16 wins, 7 losses, and 2 ties.
Baseball Career
Joe Guyon was also a very good "minor league baseball star."
Baseball Player
Guyon played as an outfielder. He hit over .340 for three years in a row for the Louisville Colonels. This team was in the American Association, which was the highest level of minor league baseball at the time. He played baseball from 1920 to 1936, taking a break when he was coaching in college.
Baseball Coach
Guyon was the head coach of the Clemson Tigers baseball team at Clemson University. He coached there from 1928 to 1931. He also managed other minor league baseball teams. These included the Anderson Electrics in 1931, the Asheville Tourists in 1932, and the Fieldale Towlers in 1936.
Images for kids
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1912 Carlisle Indians team
See also
In Spanish: Joe Guyon para niños
